Coupling



T. A. HILL COUPLING Dec. 12, 1950v Original Filed March '7, 1944Patented Dec. 12, 1950 mesne assignments, to Elastic Stop NutCorporation of America, Union, N. J., a corporation of New JerseyOriginal application March 7, 1944, Serial No. 525,409. Divided and thisapplication January 10, 1945, Serial No. 572,242

4 Claims. (Cl. 285-154) The present application is a division of mycopending application Serial No. 525,409, led March 7, 1944, (nowabandoned).

This invention relates broadly to improvements in self-locking threadedmembers and more particularly to self-locking couplings.

By virtue of the self-locking feature the mem bers to be coupledtogether, such as pipes, will not become loosened unintentionally, as byvibration. Further objects and advantages of my invention will beapparent from the following description considered in connection withthe ac companying drawings, which form a part of this specification andof which:

Fig. 1 is a side View, partially in cross-section, of one embodiment ofthe present invention;

Fig. 2 is a top view of the device shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is an end view of one of the elements forming part of the deviceshown in Fig. 1 before said' element is assembled with the otherelements;

Fig. 4 is a cross-sectional view of another embodiment of my invention;and

Fig. 5 is an exploded view. partially broken away, of the device shownin Fig. 4.

Referring more particularly to Figs. 1 through 3, reference characters Iand I2 designate two body members. with a differential boretherethrough, separated by a radial shoulder. The bore portion ofsmaller diameter is formed with screw threads I4, while the bore portionI6 of larger diameter is formed with a cylindrical or serrated surface.A plurality of projections I8 extend axially from each shoulder into thebore portions IB.

An annular insert 20 of elastic material having an axial lengthsubstantially equal to the sum of the lengths of the two bore portions Iis disposed within these bore portions whereafter the iianges 22 on thebody members Ill and I2 are secured together as by spot welding as isindi cated at 24. Thus the elastic insert 2B is securely clamped betweenthe shoulders of the two body members and the projections I8 penetratethe insert to restrain it against rotation relative to the body members.

In use, the threaded ends of pipes 25 and 28 rst engage the screwthreads I4 in the body members and thereafter are advanced intoengagement with the elastic insert 2li, the threads on the pipeimpressing threads in the elastic insert. The resulting deformations ofthe elastic insert material creates suicient friction between thecoupling and the pipe to prevent un- Each body member is formed`intentional rotation of the pipes relative to the coupling.

The embodiment illustrated in Figs. 4 and 5 differs from that abovedescribed primarily in the fact that the body portions 30 and 32 aresecured together by means of external screw threads 33 on the member 30,as is indicated at 34. An elastic insert 3B occupies the space providedby the bore portions of larger diameter in the two body members and thisinsert is securely clamped in place when the body members are screwedtogether.

If desired, ya washer 38 having an exterior diameter substantially equalto the interior diameter oi the elastic insert, may be placed Within thelatter so as to be clamped and form a seal between the ends of the pipes26 and 28 when the latter are screwed into the coupling.

While I have shown and described two more or less specic embodiments ofmy invention, it is to be understood that this has been done forpurposes of illustration only and that the scope of my invention is notto be limited thereby, but is to be determined from the appended claims.

What is claimed:

1. A threaded coupling comprising a. pair of hollow members each havingdifferential bore portions extending inwardly from opposite ends of themember and separated by a shoulder, the

smaller bore portion of each member being screwthreaded, means forsecuring said members together with their larger bore portions incontiguous alignment, and locking means of elastic deformable materialretained within said larger bore portions and providing a boredimensioned to have threads impressed in the elastic material by thethreads of externally threaded elements screwed through the smaller borepor'- tions of said hollow member, whereby to elastically grip saidelements to prevent their turning relative to said hollow members.

2. A coupling as set forth in claim 1 in which s-aid locking meanscomprises an annular insert and in which at least one of said members isprovided with means engaging the insert to prevent turning of the insertrelative to said members.

3. A coupling as set forth in claim l. in which an annular sealingwasher is located within the bore of the locking means to provide asealing gasket between the confronting ends of the' threaded elementsscrewed into the coupling.

4. A coupling as set `forth in claim 1 in which one of said members isprovided with an internally threaded socket and the other of saidmembers is provided with an annular externally threaded extensionadapted to be screwed into said socket, said extension providing atleast the major part of the larger bore portion for receiving thelocking means.

THOMAS A. HILL.

REFERENCES CITED Y file of this patent:

Number Numb er 4 UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Shelton Aug. 18, 1885Murray Mar. 27, 1917 Crane 'May-4, 1926 FOREIGN PATENTS Country DateGreat Britain of 1903

